Wade latest bit by injury bug

January 5, 2008|By Michael Cunningham Staff writer

Dallas — The Heat's injury situation deteriorated from bad to unmanageable when All-Star guard Dwyane Wade sat out against the Mavericks late Friday.

It was Wade's first missed game since sitting out the first seven due to offseason knee and shoulder surgeries. In addition to those injuries, Wade also has a sore right shoulder and a jammed right pinky finger.

The team didn't specify which of the injuries caused Wade to sit out and gave no timetable for his return. Riley had called Wade a game-time decision before tipoff. Wade has been sitting out practices due to soreness.

Wade joined starters Shaquille O'Neal (hip), Jason Williams (knee) and Dorell Wright (ankle) on the injured list. The Heat is hopeful to get back O'Neal and Williams back for its game on Sunday at Memphis, the second of a five-game road trip.

In addition to those four starters, center Alonzo Mourning was lost to a season-ending knee injury on Dec. 19. All of the Heat's top rotation players except for Udonis Haslem and Ricky Davis have missed time this season due to injuries or ailments.

The Heat, losers of five straight entering Friday, had struggled even when healthy. Now all the recent injuries have made the odds of a climb back from its 8-24 record entering Friday even longer.

"You get the lineup, you get the players who are going to play and then you go to work on it," Riley said of his approach. "If they are all healthy, you go one way, if not, you go another way.

'Who's next, and who's healthy and who's going to play today.' That's all."

With the four starters out, the Heat sent out a starting lineup of guards Chris Quinn guard and Daequan Cook, forwards Ricky Davis and Udonis Haslem and center Mark Blount.

NO HARD FEELINGS

Dallas swingman Eddie Jones is the latest former Heat player to see his old team stagger into town in desperate need of a player like him while he enjoys a better situation. But Jones, a Pompano native, said he doesn't feel for his old teammates.

Jones may have little sympathy for the Heat, but he said there's also no bitterness with the way things went over the simmer. Riley has said he erred in waiting too long to give Jones an answer while the Heat looked at other free agents.

In contrast, Jones said the Mavericks called him soon after the start of free agency on July 1. Jones said he told Dallas he needed time to make a decision and let the Heat know about the Mavericks' offer.

"I told them what I planned to do, and I didn't hear back," Jones said.

So Jones moved on to Dallas, where he's back in the starting lineup after struggling with a right leg injury that cost him 15 games. He played two separate stints for the Heat from 2000-2005 and last season.

"Business is business," Jones said. "That is the way it goes. I have been around the league way too long to worry about how someone is going to treat you."

Before the game Riley again said he should have moved quicker to sign Jones, who could fill a valuable role for the Heat.

"We miss him," Riley said. "He's in a good place. I'm really happy for Eddie. He's a 'Heatser.' He's one of the top players to play for this organization."

Jones appreciates the regret Riley expressed in letting him go.

"We have got a lot of history together so it definitely means something," he said. "But it is what it is."

INFORMATIONAL BOX:

LATE GAME

The Heat-Mavericks game wasn't over when this edition went to press. For the result and wrap-up, visit Sun-Sentinel.com/sports